Sure, Cal Poly has had its share of notable graduates. Football Hall of Fame broadcaster, head coach, and player John Madden is one. Former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado is another. Let’s not forget astronauts Robert L. Gibson, Gregory Chamitoff, and Victor Glover. But come on! “Weird Al” Yankovic is the man, the myth, the legend!
The former KCPR DJ famously recorded one of his early parody songs, “My Bologna,” a spinoff of The Knack’s hit “My Sharona,” in the men’s restroom in Cal Poly’s Graphic Arts Building.
Nederlander Concerts presents “Weird Al” Yankovic on his Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour at Vina Robles Amphitheatre on Tuesday, Sept. 15 (doors at 6, show at 7:30 p.m.; all ages; starting at $88.90 at ticketmaster.com). Might there be a Cal Poly sighting?
“Oh, there might, I don’t know,” Yankovic laughed during a recent Zoom call. “Every time my family and I do a trip up the coast, we always stop by Cal Poly to see how the campus changed and sometimes pop our heads into KCPR to say hi. And that’s always a lot of fun.”
His current tour promises to be a real doozy.
“It’s literally bigger because our band doubled in size for this particular tour. In addition to the band that I’ve had the last 45 years, we added four new players, all of whom are both singers and multi-instrumentalists, so we’re able to do a lot of songs we were never able to do in the past. It all sounds much bigger and better.”
He’s also been playing—and selling out—bigger venues like Madison Square Garden, The Forum, and Red Rocks. Now, five decades from his 1976 start—when at 16 one of his songs was played on the Dr. Demento radio show—Yankovic remains an irrepressible cultural force.
Looking back on his career, he’s realized he can’t predict what songs will hit.
“I did a song called ‘It’s All About The Pentiums’ in the late ’90s, which was all about nerd culture,” he recalled. “I basically portrayed a braggadocious nerd. And when I did ‘White and Nerdy,’ it was part of the same concept. It was another nerd-positive song. I thought this was about as good as the other one, but the first one barely left a mark on the culture, and ‘White and Nerdy’ was one my biggest hits ever—my only platinum single, my only top 10 single. So, you just never know what’s going to get a reaction. I guess in 2006, I was riding the crest of the nerd appreciation wave.”
‘Every time my family and I do a trip up the coast, we always stop by Cal Poly to see how the campus changed and sometimes pop our heads into KCPR to say hi. And that’s always a lot of fun.’
—‘Weird Al’ Yankovic
He’s also had a few regrets over the years.
“Oh yeah, of course. There were words I used in the ’80s and ’90s that at the time were deemed ‘OK,’ but now 30 or 40 years later, not so much. There are songs I’ve edited or don’t do anymore, and there are still songs in my live show that people might cock an eyebrow at, but you can’t please everybody. … I’m not trying to make people uncomfortable. I want everyone to have a good time.”
His 2022 satirical biopic, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, starred Daniel Radcliff as Yankovic, and was a commercial and critic success. His own movie, 1989’s UHF, is a cult classic. Even though it initially flopped in theaters.
“It’s hard to say exactly why,” he said. “The excuse that I’ve been using all this time was that it came out in the middle of a blockbuster summer, 1989, and was going head-to-head with Batman; Lethal Weapon 2; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids; Do the Right Thing; Rain Man, and half a dozen other major movies. UHF was not a big-budget movie, just a silly comedy, and it got swallowed up during the summer even though it tested well with Orion Pictures test audiences. It had to find an audience later on cable TV, DVD, and VHS. People discovered it at Blockbuster. Now, the love for that movie from fans still blows me away. There’s one person I met who, his entire back is literally covered by UHF tattoos. The people who are into the movie are really into the movie.”
Yankovic’s next goal is to conquer is Broadway. He’s developing Dare to Be Stupid, The Weird Al Musical.
“It didn’t feel real to me until about this week because we’ve been workshopping it with, probably not the final cast, but with actors, in New York, sitting around, singing songs, reading the script. We got some of the top names on Broadway associated with this product. It seems like a real serious endeavor. It’s not some pipe dream. I’m extremely excited about that.”
Puddles Pity Party opens the show, and seriously, he alone is worth the price of admission. The towering performer (he’s 6-foot-8) is hailed as the “sad clown with the golden voice,” and his interpretations of popular songs by Sia, Lorde, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, and more are awesome! He’s got a brand-new album, America Today, and his live show is a multi-media joy to behold.
Also from Nederlander at Vina Robles, see Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 17 (doors at 6:30, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; starting at $70.80 at ticketmaster.com). Formed in 1967 as The Big Thing before changing their name to The Chicago Transit Authority and then later to Chicago, they’ve sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and are Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and multi-Grammy Award winners.
Feel the vibes
Good Vibez has a massive all-day show at Dairy Creek Golf Course you’ll want on your radar. Rebelution, Collie Buddz, The Expendables, and Cydeways perform on Saturday, Sept. 19 (noon; all ages; tickets starting at $95.52 at tickets.goodvibezlive.com).
“Good Vibez Live SLO brings together reggae, hip-hop, ska, island music, and feel-good live performances for an unforgettable all-day festival experience at Dairy Creek,” the promoter announced.
Meanwhile, Good Vibez has a couple of shows this week at the Fremont Theater starting with Americana singer-songwriter Elijah Scott on Saturday, Sept. 12 (doors at 7:30, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $36.02 at prekindle.com). Scott hails from the Inland Empire city of Banning, and his “distinctive voice and hybrid sound blend heartfelt storytelling with urban rhythm and soul,” his bio explains.
Also see roots reggae and dub rock artist Proteje on Tuesday, Sept. 15 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $36.02 at prekindle.com). He also mixes in hip-hop, R&B, soul, and dancehall into his sound. LA-based reggae, hip-hop, and rock act Krooked Treez opens.
Genre benders and a blues rock supergroup
Good Medicine, Numbskull, and KCBX present Slap Dragon in Club Car Bar on Wednesday, Sept. 16 (7 p.m.; all ages; $24.42 at goodmedicinepresents.com). The band describes its sound as a fusion of bluegrass roots with R&B/disco energy, but I think of them as acoustic funk.
Go look up “Girl Dinner” on YouTube to get a taste.
If you’re ready for some down-and-dirty blues rock, Good Medicine and Numbskull have you covered when they bring Texas Headhunters on their Rise and Shine Tour to The Siren on Wednesday, Sept. 16 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $24.41 at goodmedicinepresents.com). Featuring ripping guitarists Ian Moore, Johnny Moeller (The Fabulous Thunderbirds), and Jesse Dayton, the band is touring in advance of their new album, Rise and Shine, coming out Oct. 9.
They’ve released a couple of singles ahead of the release. I recommend checking out “Cut N’ Run” on YouTube. All three of these guitarists follow a take-no-prisoners, scorched-earth policy. Just wicked licks. Their record company calls the track “a gutsy, hair-raising blast of high-octane shuffle business on which the band pays homage to two major Lone Star influences: Freddie King and Billy Gibbons.”
Also at The Siren
The Siren’s got a full slate this week. The club has booked ’90s pop, alternative, rock, and grunge cover band Grunge Muffin on Saturday, Sept. 12 (2 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older; free).
Later on Saturday, Sept. 12, see local country-rock act Whiskey Scars (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; free) performing commercial country hits from the ’90s to today.
British blues guitar legend Albert Lee plays on Tuesday, Sept. 15 (6:30 to 9 p.m.; 21-and-older; $41.60 at tixr.com). Lee’s worked with The Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton, Emmylou Harris, and The Crickets among others. Guitar Player magazine named him Best Country Guitarist five times in a row. He’s recorded a number of solo albums, most recently 2024’s Lay It Down, and won a Grammy in 2002 for his contribution to “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” Nick Hames opens
Finally, see Drifting Roots on Thursday, Sept. 17 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $18.47 at tixr.com). The Central Florida reggae band had shared the stage with Collie Buddz, Steel Pulse, Julian Marley, The Movement, Mike Love, and Authority Zero.
Credit: COURTESY PHOTO BY RACHEL KUPFER
Shabang teaser
SLO Brew Live and Shabang present EDM DJ and house/techno producer Jackie Hollander at Rod & Hammer Rock on Friday, Sept. 11 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; 18-and-older; $37.07 at my805tix.com).
“Coming off of a massive performance to Shabang’s first-ever sold-out crowd last May, Jackie Hollander has ascended from San Francisco’s eclectic underground,” organizers wrote. “One of the fastest-rising names in electronic music, Jackie has been turning heads with her infectious house sound, undeniable energy, and sets built to keep the dance floor moving from start to finish.”
Seventies folk
Be serious. Who doesn’t love “A Horse with No Name”? It’s one of America’s many 1970s hits. Chin Chin Entertainment presents Ventura Highway: America Tribute Band at the Clark Center on Saturday, Sept. 12 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $49.99 to $69.99 at clarkcenter.org).
“This extraordinary live concert re-creates the sound, feel, and spirit of the legendary band that defined a generation with hits like ‘Ventura Highway,’ ‘A Horse With No Name,’ ‘Sister Golden Hair,’ ‘Tin Man,’ and more,” organizers said. “With lush vocals, brilliant musicianship, and authentic arrangements, Ventura Highway brings audiences back to the golden age of folk rock.”
Latin jazz master
Cal Poly Arts presents the Arturo O’Farrill Trio at the Spanos Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 17 (7 p.m.; $55 at calpolyarts.org). The Mexican American pianist, composer, and bandleader has been hailed as “one of our greatest living pianists” by DownBeat magazine.
Credit: PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL POLY ARTS
O’Farrill is a six-time Grammy Award winner and two-time Latin Grammy winner, who’s “built an extraordinary career by blending Afro-Latin traditions, modern jazz, and innovative contemporary composition into a sound that is both deeply rooted and boldly forward-looking,” according to concert organizers.
More music …
The Loving Mosh rhythm guitarist Roberto Monge promises you a workout on the dance floor when his band and The Sweet Spots play SLO’s Libertine on Saturday, Sept. 12 (doors at 8, show at 9 p.m.; 21-and-older; $5 cover).
“We only have one show in September, and it’s gonna be rockin’,” Monge said. “We’re talking two seven-piece bands, three-part harmonies, horn sections, guitar solos, music so funky that you’ll have to log the concert as a workout on Strava! Bring your friends. Bring your family. Hell, bring that boss of yours that needs to touch a little more grass! Everyone is gonna be getting down all night.”
If you’re ready to feel some serious female-forward energy, come experience The Powerhouse Ladies at the Bay Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 13 (2 p.m.; all ages; $20).
“The Powerhouse Ladies are three female-fronted bands, on stage at the same time, taking turns playing songs before performing together, and we will be turning the Bay Theatre—normally a movie theater—into a concert venue for one afternoon only,” Rebecca Roudman of Dirty Cello explained via email.
The Great Jazz Pianists Series resumes with multi-instrumentalist Tom Ranier (piano, saxophone, clarinet), an in-demand sideman and session player who’ll be joined by series producers Charlie and Sandi Shoemake on Sunday, Sept. 13, at Cambria’s Woodlands Concert Hall (5 to 7p.m.; $35, reservations by calling (805) 935-9007 or emailing charlie@talsanmusic.com). ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Student Guide 2026.
